THQ unleashed MX vs. ATV two years ago and now it seems Big Willy from Destroy All Humans! gets the same “unleashed” treatment. Remarkably, the next-generation version of Destroy All Humans! hits the Wii console before the other two spoiled machines. Crypto is back, new and improved shaking his Wii-mote, check out this spaced out review of Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed.

The first Destroy All Humans! Came out blasting in 2005 when Pandemic Studios introduced gamers to the little "grey" alien called Crypto for the Playstation 2 and Xbox. A year later Pandemic returned with a sequel that wasn’t half the effort we seen in the original. Destroy All Humans! is a franchise rich with potential, so a new Destroy All Humans! game had me giddy with anticipation, but this anxiety has a little reserve.  Since Electronic Arts has snagged up Pandemic Studios we have a new developer Locomotive Games. Locomotive has worked with THQ in the past releasing some so-so efforts like MX Superfly and WWE Crush Hour, the Twisted Metal version of wrestling... weird, I know. It’s now time for them to move on to bigger and better ideas and this brings us to Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed.

Crypto return in Big Willy Unleashed brings brings him in the 1970s when fast food restaurants are spreading across the country like wild fire. Big Willy’s is the McDonalds of Destroy All Humans being the biggest franchise of them all. Little do the human population know that Big Willy’s is actually a front for Crypto and Pox to harvest more humans. In a sick twist it is explained that these terrible two are actually feeding us left over parts from our own bodies in the menu at Big Willy’s. Funny, or disgusting, it looks like the humour in Destroy All Humans! is still intact. The plot continues as the Kolonel Klucken, Big Willy’s competition is trying to expose the secret behind the restaurant which gives the premise for Big Willy Unleashed. Unleashed, you have to take on the Kolonel and his minions, Crypto style, which is always fun.

Encase you had any doubt, Destroy All Humans! faithfully gives the stomping power of the alien race with all the advances of the Furon alien race. Fans of the first two games will easily fall into place slaughter humans by the dozens. Big Willy Unleashed doesn’t tread to expand the concept of Destroy All Humans! The first game was the most ambitious of all the Destroy All Humans! games. The idea of aliens assassinating the President and taking over the country incognito is a lot more fun and in depth then a competing fast-food restaurants. If you wanted to measure the B-Movie rating of Big Willy Unleashed it will probably jump into the spoof genre like the cult classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

One of the first things I noticed in Big Willy Unleashed is how intuitive the controls feel on the Wii. Besides the major switch up when flying your saucer or driving around Willy himself, handling Crypto and his anal probing as easy as 1-2-3. This also includes how you interface with your special powers, if I’m not going mad; I think I prefer the Wii controls over the Xbox, or PS2 version of the last DAH (Destroy All Humans!) game. Something about the freedom of movement with the Wii mote as a pointer feels more up Crypto’s alley, although I hold back the right to reverse this comment when the PS3 and Xbox 360 DAH game is released.

For more on the controls you will use the Wii-mote to aim Crypto’s weapons and the camera direction to be moved and the Nunchuck for the actual movement of the little alien. The buttons on the Wii-mote give you access to firing your weapon and popping up your special powers menu. The Nunchuck Z-Button controls your jet pack, double pressed for longer explosion of fuel. When you get behind the wheel of Willy (Giant Fast Food Mascot) or the Space craft you will have to switch it up and use the Wii-Mote to turn and the Nunchucks analog stick for up and down movements. It’s not horrible and you get the hand of it after a few minutes of frustration, but why they switched the formula up is beside me. Aside from minor grips I thought the control scheme for Destroy All Humans! perfectly fit the Wii.

With the controls in check, it’s all up to the missions to come in strong for Big Willy. Unfortunately, Big Willy Unleashed is a basic as they get missions that are lucky to have this satire surrounding them. If Destroy All Humans! was serious, and we’re glad its not, this game would not fly in any shape or form. As itself, the rude and crude kill them all attitude, Big Willy Unleashed will have you cracking a few smiles just don’t expect them to last too long. If you are lucky you might get through the game with that smile intact given the entire main story can be finished in well under 10 hours. If you still love your Crypto after the main part of the game is over you can continue your rampage because they game is still set in an open-world sandbox style.

The weapons have a good nature to them, although the anal probe isn’t as funny anymore. The new pick of the litter is the shrink ray which has been featured in dozens of sci-fi films over the years, a definite bonus to have that in DAH! When you are fully upgraded, Crypto feels very powerful, however the balance is well maintained given a little bit of play for the people experimenting with the first few levels and weapons. Like other open-world games you’ll only see a small portion of the entire world until you get the means to move out of your standard range. Saucer trips and upgrading your jetpack are two ways to reach the ‘unreachable’ areas in the game.

Graphically, Big Willy is a pure let down. This is one ugly game with nothing besides a few moments from Crypto that are of any quality. I was upset even with my lowered expectations for the Wii. We have seen better graphics on the Wii by this time so the excuses are going to have to start to fade. Despite all the blocky characters, environments and vehicles, Destroy All Humans! pulls through with the audio. Crypto still has the timber of Jack Nicolson and the sci-fi spacey effects and music are attached. Again, Big Willy Unleashed gets away with robbery because of its aim to be cheesy.

All in all, destroy All Humans! return with Big Willy Unleashed adds little to the series. If you’ve played a earlier version of Destroy All Humans! then you’ll know what is in store for with the new Willy. Gamers who are new to the Destroy All Humans! series of games, I’d highly recommend checking out the first title even though it’s on older technology. Big Willy Unleashed is a little too dull and silly without the same feeling of innovation that the first game harvested.

Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed is not going to restore this franchise to its former glory. The way things are going Destroy All Humans! might stay rated with the source material its using. Hope isn’t over and luckily we will get the full on next-generation treatment with the Path of Furon set to be released on both the Xbox 360 and PS3. For the verdict on Big Willy Unleashed, it’s a rental at most. In moderation, it’s a fun and funny romp around town as everyone’s favourite cynical alien, Crypto. Let’s hope Locomotive Games can keep their minds of genitalia and come back strong with the Path of Furon.

Gameplay:6, Graphics: 4, Sound: 6, Innovation: 5, Mojo: 6. Final: 5.4 / 10

• BIG WILLY - A prototype Furon Mech masquerading as a fast food restaurant mascot - BIG WILLY can destroy tanks or buildings with his massive power, pop humans brains with ease or singe targets with his laser Eye Beams.
• High Fidelity Destruction - Manipulate or destroy virtually anything in the world; on foot, in the air (UFO) or with your BIG WILLY, a giant Furon mech.
• Open World Game play - Explore 5 open world game environments and play through a variety of story missions and side-missions, or destroy everything and anything in sight via open-world sandbox gameplay.
• Multiplayer Modes - DAH! Big Willy Unleashed features all new multiplayer modes.